Ned Stark vs. Jaime Lannister
Every Major Game of Thrones Battle, Ranked
By the time Lord Stark and Ser Jaime cross swords in season one, the viewer is already aware that Jaime is considered to be one of the best swordsmen in Westeros. Ned is also no pushover when it comes to combat and seeing these two warriors go head-to-head had us on the edge of our seats. The two fight fiercely but it’s clear that Jaime has the advantage over Ned.
Up to this point, we’ve seen that Jaime isn’t always the most likable character, but this fight shows that, behind the cockiness and Prince Charming-esque good looks, Jaime is deadly with a sword and even an experienced fighter like Ned struggles to keep up with him. As much as we love Lord Eddard, Jaime has just discovered his brother Tyrion has been kidnapped by Catelyn Stark, so it’s not hard to see why he’s irate. This battle shows how gray the morality of Game of Thrones is and how just being a good guy isn’t enough to stay alive.
